Leader Latvala eases Ford Fiesta further ahead in Rally Sweden

Ford World Rally Team drivers Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila stretched their lead in Rally Sweden after an intense battle during today’s second leg. The Finns won four of the eight snow and ice-covered speed tests in their Ford Fiesta RS World Rally Car, extending their 16.8sec first day advantage to 23.0sec after a tooth-and-nail duel with former team-mate Mikko Hirvonen.

Petter Solberg and Chris Patterson maintained third in their Fiesta RS WRC, with one day remaining in this second round of the FIA World Rally Championship. Solberg is 11.1sec clear of the privately-entered car of fellow Norwegian Mads Østberg, after a daylong fight for the final podium place.

Today’s competition was based close to the Hagfors service park. After a 06.00 re-start from Karlstad, drivers tackled two identical loops of stages covering 117.76km before the long journey back south for the overnight halt. There was less snow on the stages than in Norway yesterday and with temperatures dipping to only -6ºC, exposed gravel broke through the ice during the afternoon tests.

Latvala was fastest over the opening two stages and the 26-year-old increased his lead to 18.6sec by the mid-leg service break in Hagfors. He was quickest on the same tests this afternoon, and managed the stud wear in his Michelin tyres perfectly to ensure maximum traction over the slippery final stage to widen his lead further.

“I knew the final stage was very icy so I tried to look after the tyres this afternoon to ensure we had plenty of studs,” explained Latvala. “I didn’t want to destroy them in the gravel. Our calculations were correct and our strategy worked well.”

He relished the close competition with former colleague Hirvonen. “It was a big battle with Mikko. The pressure was on, but I like it that way. It’s good to lead now, but I have to keep this position to the end of the rally. That’s what matters. There were some games between us before the stages. Of course we talk to each other, but the chat is more serious now than when we were team-mates, with each of us trying to gain a mental advantage over the other.

“I needed to play my cards right. Knowing when to attack, when to look after the tyres and when to change them was what today was all about. I know Mikko will attack in the morning so I can’t think about easing off. I have a bigger lead than I did this morning which gives me confidence, but I need to be wide awake from the very first kilometre,” he added.

Thirty-seven-year-old Solberg started the day 13.7sec ahead of Østberg, but his fellow countryman reduced the deficit to 7.2sec this morning after Solberg stalled his engine at the start of the second stage. The Ford World Rally Team driver struck back this afternoon to stretch his advantage again during an untroubled day in front of thousands of passionate Swedish and Norwegian fans.

“It’s the first time I’ve driven competitively in the loose in this car and it’s tough to jump straight into a new car and find the right pace immediately,” he said. “Tomorrow will be hard because Mads is close behind me. I have to be careful and not go crazy, but I really want to retain third and also to finish as top Norwegian.

“Conditions were very different from yesterday, with more gravel in the ruts during the second pass of the stages this afternoon. Driving for a podium is an exciting prospect and the final day should be an exciting one for the fans to watch,” added Solberg.

Ford World Rally Team director Malcolm Wilson was delighted with the performance of both drivers. “It was tough for Jari-Matti but he handled the pressure well. He had an answer to everything that Mikko threw at him. He made good use of the tyres, attacking where he could take time and saving his tyres when he needed to,” he said.

“Driving the car in these conditions is new for Petter. His pre-event test was held in temperatures of -30ºC, but the roads are softer in the milder weather here, and he did a good job. Both cars ran perfectly and Fiesta RS WRCs won six of the eight stages today,” he added.

News from other Ford teams

Mads Østberg / Jonas Andersson lie fourth in a privately-entered Fiesta RS WRC. The Norwegian driver’s hopes of climbing into third took a setback in the penultimate stage when an electrical issue switched the car into launch mode and the engine briefly cut out. M-Sport Ford World Rally Team’s Evgeny Novikov / Denis Giraudet are fifth, the Russian driver’s only problem being a misted windscreen this morning. Henning Solberg / Ilka Minor lie seventh, the Go Fast Energy World Rally Team pair nudged down a place on the final stage by world champion Sebastien Loeb. Also in the top 10 are Czech Ford National Team duo Martin Prokop / Zdenek Hrûza and Norway’s Eyvind Brynildsen / Cato Menkerud, holding ninth and 10th respectively. M-Sport Ford’s Ott Tänak / Kuldar Sikk dropped more than 20 minutes after Tänak misheard a pace note and went off the road on the second stage. However, the Estonians claimed their maiden WRC stage victory this morning, and shared fastest time when the stage was repeated this afternoon.

Tomorrow’s Route

The final day is again based close to the Hagfors service park and is the shortest of the weekend. Drivers leave Karlstad at 06.10 for two identical loops of three stages, split by service. The final test of the second loop close to Hagfors is the Power Stage, with bonus points on offer to the fastest three drivers. Competitors journey to Karlstad for the finish in the city square at 16.16.